Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Michael J Bezusko

William Thomas Phillips, Jr

Vincent J Tura, Jr

Kenneth B Germ

Keith A Penney

Joseph A McGee

David Allen Nuss

Vincent James Tura, Jr

Suzanne C Nadasky

Daniel P Liska

George E Finn

Dale Charles Bertuzzi, Jr

The maximum retention serviceable high voltage spark plug adapter according to the present invention provides an electrical connection between a cable and a spark plug utilizing a stationary terminal crimped onto the cable by a strip and fold technique. Sliding terminals are held against the crimp terminal and a spark plug terminal post by a compression style terminal spring. This terminal spring is also the electrical connection between the two sliding terminals. The electrical connection to the spark plug terminal under all operating conditions is assured by a constant pressure of the terminal spring thus eliminating the possibility of microarcing and fretting.

Maximum retention serviceable high voltage spark plug adapter

A spark plug boot assembly for interfacing an ignition signal conductor and a spark plug, the assembly including a spark plug boot having a hollow electrically conductive cylinder disposed on an interior boot surface, the cylinder having a flared lower cylinder end extending through the interior boot surface over a spark plug post-socketed terminal contact area, and having an upper cylinder end extending over the socketed terminal including over any crimp section of the socketed terminal. The cylinder further includes a seat for seating a collar about the socketed terminal when a full terminal insertion position is reached.

Spark plug boot insulator

A method of terminating an electrical cable wherein the insulation of the cable is slit axially inward toward, but not completely to, the conductor and a terminal in crimped into the slit displacing the remaining insulation and establishing electrical contact between the terminal and conductor.

Insulation displacement terminal

An ignition cable assembly includes a cable terminal attached to an end of an ignition cable. The cable terminal is plugged into the end of a boot and terminal subassembly that comprises three parts. These are a base terminal, a snap ring insert and an elastomeric boot. The elastomeric boot houses a replaceable plug seal that engages a ceramic insulator of a spark plug when the ignition cable assembly is plugged onto the spark plug. The ignition cable assembly can be straight, bent or right angled.

Ignition cable assembly

Several variations of ignition cable assemblies that have a cable seal and a tower seal enclosing a terminal and a heat shrunk sleeve and their method of manufacture are disclosed. The cable seal insulates a substantial portion of the terminal to increase the dielectric strength of the assembly. The tower seal includes an elastomeric boot that is radially spaced from the contact of the terminal to sealingly engage an outer surface of a male or female tower. The heat shrunk sleeve forms at least part of the cable seal and it may be used to provide an angled dress for the ignition cable or to accommodate an angled terminal.

Ignition cable assembly and method of making same

A shielded spark plug boot assembly for an ignition cable connector has a tubular elastomeric boot having a cable end portion that receives an ignition cable, an intermediate cavity portion that houses a terminal at the end of the ignition cable, and a seal end portion that receives a spark plug and seals around an insulator thereof. The shielded spark plug boot assembly also has a heat shield and a coil spring. The heat shield is mounted on the cable end portion of the elastomeric boot and it includes a metal shell that has a lower end portion which extends below the seal end portion of the elastomeric boot and which includes a conical portion that leads to a collar of reduced diameter at the lower end of the heat shield. The coil spring has an upper conical portion that is disposed and retained in the conical portion of the metal shell and a lower cylindrical portion that protrudes through the collar at the lower end of the heat shield and engages a metal portion of the spark plug to ground the heat shield electrically.

Shielded spark plug boot assembly

A spark plug connector for connecting an ignition cable to a recessed contact button of a spark plug comprises a boot assembly and a terminal assembly. The boot assembly includes a thermoplastic tubular boot that has an internal suspended terminal support tube and an external arm for securing the spark plug connector to an engine head. The boot assembly also includes an insert molded elastomeric seal that provides spark plug and ignition cable seals at the respective ends of the boot. The terminal assembly comprising a pin terminal, a pin terminal retainer and a coil compression spring. The pin terminal retainer includes a sleeve that is disposed in the terminal support tube and a forward latch tang that prevents withdrawal of the terminal assembly from the boot assembly. The pin terminal in the sleeve of the pin terminal retainer and an enlarged head that serves as the electrical contact that is pushed forwardly by the compression spring to engage the recessed contact of the spark plug assembly. The pin terminal retainer has a rearward latch tang that engages the pin terminal to limit the forward travel of the pin terminal and a ferrule that attaches the pin terminal retainer to an ignition cable.

Spark plug connector

A heat shielded, spark plug boot assembly comprises an elastomeric boot and an electrically grounded heat shield. The heat shield has a thin inner dielectric barrier which is configured to protect against electrical discharges through the thinner vulnerable portions of the elastomeric boot and to be bypassed by corona conduction from the elastomeric boot to the metal shell of the heat shield. The elastomeric boot is ribbed to provide air flow passages between the elastomeric boot and the heat shield.

Growing community of inventors

Warren, OH, United States of America

Michael J Bezusko